Contact center agents are typically hard-working and conscientious workers. However, there are some contact center agents who try to game the system by whatever means necessary. Accidently saying things to customers when the contact center agents think mute is on has long been a problem. Another way to use mute inappropriately has come under scrutiny and is being reported by contact center managers.
Mute abuse is occurring when a contact center agent answers a call and the contact center agent immediately puts the call on mute. The contact center agent is heard in his environment to be answering calls (“Hello? Hello?”). The contact center agent can count the call as having been answered to keep his metrics looking productive without doing any work. Meanwhile, the customer is unaware of what is happening. He hears nothing, so he hangs up. The contact center agent gives the appearance of working when he is in fact dodging calls.